Cons:

Dead Space 2 is quite possibly the most intense game I've ever played.

I've wracked my brain trying to think of another game that quite literally had me on the edge of my seat (OK, couch cushion) the way Visceral's horrific sequel did, and I've yet to come up with any worthy candidates. Adeptly blending mind-twisting psychological terrors with very real physical horrors, Dead Space 2 is a perfectly paced and beautifully presented thrill ride that stayed under my skin for days after I finished it.

Although it's a direct sequel to 2008's Dead Space, Dead Space 2 stands in striking contrast to its predecessor, thanks to what might initially sound like a minor narrative change. By giving series protagonist Isaac Clarke a voice this time around, Visceral immediately ratchets up the emotional impact of his tragic tale and makes it much easier to identify with him. Isaac's latest adventure takes place entirely on the Sprawl -- a metropolis that's been built on one of Jupiter's moons -- and is immediately thrust into another fight for his life against a terrifying alien scourge known as the Necromorphs.

More a rumination on love and loss than a standard survival-horror game, Dead Space 2 features terrifying, intense action set pieces that are perfectly balanced against a number of intelligent, quiet moments. As Isaac explores the homes, offices, schools, and industrial areas around the Sprawl, hallucinations of his lost love Nicole haunt him with increasing regularity. Given this specter's obvious standing as the series' potential emotional lynchpin, it was a shame to see Isaac and Nicole's relationship largely pushed to the backburner in the first Dead Space, in favor of an emphasis on the mysterious Marker and its connection to the alien outbreak. Thankfully, that isn't the case this time out, and Isaac's interactions with his dead lover offer a surprising (and welcome) level of emotional depth.

Of course, even if I didn't care for emotional hooey like love, regret, and loss, and just wanted to shoot some stuff, I would have found a lot to love in Dead Space 2. While the Necromorphs aren't as horrific as they seemed to be in the original Dead Space, they're definitely just as dangerous as ever. Spindly-armed, razor-clawed monsters pop out of air ducts and from behind ill-placed cargo boxes at every turn, and while Dead Space 2's pacing is masterful, it still slips into an archaic pattern of quiet moments followed by an intense action sequence, followed by another stretch of calm. Although this is necessary to some extent (as it mercifully allowed me to exhale after a few minutes of breath-holding concentration), it ultimately led to feeling like I knew when to expect the next big scare or set piece.

This type of game design would be inexcusable if not for one of the most satisfying assortment of weapons I've seen in some time. Although the combat still focuses on "strategic dismemberment," I was impressed by how many effective tools were at my disposal. After playing through the game once primarily using the plasma cutter (Dead Space 2's most basic weapon) and machine gun, I switched it up for my second journey through the Sprawl, dedicating myself to using and fully upgrading the awesome new javelin gun and detonator weapons. These radically contrasting weapon loadouts forced me to approach every situation differently than I had the first time, and left me feeling just as satisfied after I cleaned out one of the aforementioned monster closets.

Again, Dead Space 2 is one of those rare games that I still thought about frequently even after I'd finished it. This is largely due to the fact that, while not the goriest game of all time, Dead Space 2 features a few unbelievably brutal, squirm-inducing sequences that I don't think I'll ever forget. While the odd bit of macabre humor is sprinkled here and there, Dead Space 2 is usually a grimly serious game. The new emotional connection with Isaac serves this aspect of the game well; oftentimes, I legitimately felt it in my stomach when I had to watch one of his many, many death scenes. Of course (and maybe this speaks to my personal perversions), this didn't stop me from intentionally dying at the hands of certain enemies or failing particular timed sequences on purpose just to see what happened. It usually wasn't pretty.

Sadly, that's a decent way to describe Dead Space 2's new multiplayer modes, which I don't recall many people clamoring for after the first game. Although playing as the various Necromorphs provides some gimmicky fun for the first few games, the occasionally wonky controls and dull level design make this feeling dissipate far too quickly. As I played, I found myself wanting to get back into the single-player game even though I had already beaten it. Personally, I would have preferred another hour or two added to the campaign, instead of something I'll likely never play again.

That minor misstep aside, Dead Space 2 is one of hell of a game. The hero's newfound voice adds an emotional impact and resonance that the original game sorely lacked, and I genuinely wanted to see Isaac conquer his inner demons nearly as much as the outer variety. In such an intense game (one of the most intense I've ever played), it's funny that the quiet moments were the one that really stood out.